Just south of the Swiss Border, and one of the largest and highest ski areas in the region, Livigno is actually based on three original villages spread out along 3 miles of road. The resort offers excellent intermediate skiing on sunny and wide open ?motorway? slopes, but is perhaps most famous for being duty free, due to its historical remoteness. There are over 200 shops, mostly selling alcohol, cigarettes and perfume. It?s far easier to get a litre of gin than a litre of milk here!
Even today, it?s quite a hike to Livigno from the nearest international airports at Milan (220 km - 135 miles) and Zurich (250km - 156 miles), a lot of it on mountain roads. It?s also a bit tiring trudging up and down the long main street in your ski boots weighed down by bottles of cheap vodka.
Just why Livigno is a duty free resort remains shrouded in myth and mystery. The most popular rumours claim that tax collectors kept going missing when they came up to collect the villagers dues in olden days and eventually they gave up trying, or couldn?t find any more volunteers. The practical result for skiers is a wide choice of cheap and friendly bars, cafes and restaurants as well as the phenomonal number of shops given the fact that less than 5000 people actually live here.
Although not especially close to any other resort, those with their own transport (or enough patience to use the bus service) and a 6 day or longer lift pass, can also ski in Bormio, Santa Caterina, and San Colombano and one day in the famous Swiss Engadin resorts which include Celerina, the Diavolezza glacier, La-Punt-Chaumes-CH, Maloja, Pontresina, Samedan, S-Chanf, Sils-Maria, Silvaplana, St Moritz , Surlej, Survretta and Zuoz. Day trips to St Moritz are quite popular.
| Vertical Drop: | 3220 ft
| Half Pipes: | 2 |
| Top Elevation: | 9180 ft | Snowmaking:
| 71% |
Skiable Acres:
| - | Total:
| 40km |
| Trails: | 55 | Restaurants:
| 116 |
| Lifts: | 35 | | |
Cable cars:
| 3 | | |
Източник:
www.goski.com 
